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Monday, June 29, 2015:

I try to use my clarisonic regularly but sometimes when I forget to charge it, it gets covered in the daily clutter that is our family bathroom and tucked WAY back in the drawers- waiting until I realize how desperately I need it (only to realize I STILL have to charge it...ugh!).

Well, summer is my Clarisonic season, it seems! I'm a daily sunscreen user (yes! even in the winter!), but during these summer months when I'm at the pool or beach on an almost daily basis, I layer on the SPF constantly!

Just the other day while in the shower I felt like my face wash alone wasn't breaking through the grit of my much relied upon SPF 50- sure enough, when I ran my finger nails along my neckline, they came up with a good layer of yuck beneath them!!!

Out came my Mia2- so desperate was I, I charged her while in the shower washing my hair- just enough charging time to get through one cycle!

My Mia2 paired with my new M-61 Brilliant Cleanse was enough to do the trick and cut through the layers of sunscreen (ew, and sweat!). The soft brush of the Mia2 gently buffs the skin and sloughs away that top later of dead cells while doing a deep clean into your pores (something you miss out on if you are only using your hands to wash your face!). When I use the M-61 Brilliant Cleanse, the Alpha Hydroxy acts as an additional exfoliant to chemically dissolve the dull layers of skin (and in my case, sunscreen!), so I get that soft, well-washed skin I want!

Which reminds me....I accidentally lied to you guys in a previous post- I'm not experimenting with M-61's Perfect Cleanse like I said in this post. It's actually the M-61 Brilliant Cleanse- and it's great! More on this later...).

Wednesday, June 17, 2015:

I am fresh off of a week-long beach vacation and still benefiting from the free childcare afforded to us by my in-laws (so lucky!). But I've miss you and the blog! So now that I have that natural beach/ocean exfoliation going on, I am ready to get back to the real goods and topical treatments I love to experiment with!

I've been looking for a cream cleanser, something gentle and not too drying or abrasive. And I am going to try this sucker!

I had a little time to kill today between the gym and camp pick-up so I stopped by my local Blue Mercury, explained what I had in mind, and took their reco. What I love already about this cream is that it comes in a smaller size so I don't need to commit to a huge bottle without being sure that I love it! Stay tuned and I'll let you know what I think!

Oh, and if you think of it, send a little positive energy my way for Monday! I'll fill you in soon, hopefully with GREAT news!!

Thursday, June 11, 2015:

Wednesday, June 3, 2015:

Ok, so even though we've been dealing with some pretty wet whether these last few days, I am trying to look on the bright side and remind myself that this weather only provides a few more days to get summer ready! We have some serious beach and pool plans coming up!! So while this rain washes away the pollen (good riddance), I'm going to wash away the winter for my summer-ready look!

The Hair:
I am a pretty blonde these days. When my roots start to show I honestly start to feel emotional distress! And now that the summer is here, I feel like it is all the more reason to go even more platinum- especially around my face. It's like getting nice sun bleached hair...except you have to pay for it! Need some hair color inspiration?? Check out the Madison Reed Color Advisor to find your perfect summer look!

The Nails:
Ok, so, I'll probably be sticking to my manicure staple and hang with Essie's "Sugar Daddy" this summer- why? Because I have my hands in dishwater and bubble baths All. The. Time. BUT, summer sun means fun summer pedicures for me! I like to turn up the color in the summer months now that I am in flip flops (vs. boots). Love bright pinks and magentas like Essie's "Tour de Finance"

This Skin:
So I recently had a moment of frustration when it came to sunless tanners. I try to avoid the sun unless I am wearing a sturdy SPF, but I love a tan! Unfortunately, when I would apply a sunscreen over my bronzing creams, I'd end up with a streaky look. But now I've stumbled across Jergens Natural Glow & Protect Daily Moisturizer with SPF 20 (eh, I'd prefer SPF 50, but I'll take what I can get!). Definitely going to give this a go!

The Bathing Suit:
Ok, ok, ok....I am definitely NOT a fashion blogger BUT I am loving this Red Carter suit! I wore it while in Napa and it felt fun but also sophisticated. As a mom of two, I need things to be a little, er, "snug" these days. The fabric is of good quality and the structure offered the support I need. The halter top also made me feel nice and secure! Oh, and I look EXACTLY like this model when I wear it...I swear.

Monday, June 1, 2015:

This weekend I got to see some of my favorite people in the world so we could celebrate an amazing bride-to-be!!!

It was such a great day catching up and filling each other in on updates- both personal and professional.

I love hearing about my friends' successes and achievements, family updates, and future plans. And I love to share my family news and career updates- Quirky and QVC!

Despite being in a holding pattern with Quirky, I am still so excited to possibly make my idea into a marketable product!! I have no news other than that Quirky is working on retailer partnerships to bring new ideas to market and I'm optimistic that the magnetic mesh laundry bag will be one of them!!

But sometimes it's hard not to have an update or progress report to share. While I'm still in the game, I crave advancement towards my ultimate goal.

On the other career front, I'm gearing up for a call back for a beauty guest host position!! It's so exciting to be in the conversation!!

So as I wait for my in-person audition to approach and as I anxiously crave news from the Quirky front, I remind myself to dwell in possibility....

I am terminally ambitious and when I don't get updates I get impatient! But I must learn to enjoy this time of potential future success and to spend this time being optimistic and positive!!

It might not be a "yes" (yet), but it is certainly not a "no"! And that's the positive attitude I need to maintain in order to make my own personal progress; to wake up every morning and ask myself, "what can I do today to advance my goals".

I am a mommy blogger moonlighting as a beauty and lifestyle insights provider- often infusing my "real mom" content with glimpses of how moms can keep themselves looking healthy and (sort of) put together while in the weeds of mommy-hood!